Kelleher's goal lifts UNH to 1-0 win in Hockey East playoffs

DURHAM — Tyler Kelleher's moment of glory came just moments after a moment of embarassment, one that pretty much summed up the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team's night up to that point.

JOHN DOYLE

DURHAM — Tyler Kelleher's moment of glory came just moments after a moment of embarassment, one that pretty much summed up the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team's night up to that point.

Kelleher scored the lone goal early in the third period to lift UNH to a 1-0 win over No. 14 Northeastern in the opening game of the Hockey East quarterfinals before a crowd of 3,135 at the Whittemore Center.

The goal came just moments after Kelleher couldn't get his stick on a pass from Dalton Speelman while wide open on what would have been a breakaway.

"That was probably the most embarrassing moment of my career," Kelleher said with a laugh. "Luckily I was able to put one in later."

UNH (20-16-1, 12-8 Hockey East) took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Game 2 is tonight at 7:05 p.m. (WBIN-TV) with a third game, if necessary, Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

The win marked UNH's first shutout in the Hockey East tournament since beating Providence 6-0 in the 2007 quarterfinals. Northeastern fell to 18-13-4, 10-9-2 in the league.

"The guys overall played well defensively," UNH coach Dick Umile said. "First period I thought we came out and played well. We had several missed opportunites and scoring chances, and that might come back to haunt you. (But) we played well defensively and did well on the kill."

Kelleher's tally at 4:49 of the third period injected some life into a contest in which neither team could buy a goal up to that point. The Wildcats missed on several odd-man rushes (at least four in the first period and three in the second) and Northeastern couldn't get on the board during a second period that featured six UNH penalties.

Dylan Maller's initial shot from the right circle was knocked down in the slot, but Grayson Downing tipped the puck across the crease to Kelleher, who jammed it into the open left side of the net.

"Downing made a nice pass," Kelleher said. "I don't know if it was a pass or just a tip. But it went right to my stick. I just put it in."

Northeastern's best chance for a goal in the third period came when Dalen Hedges was open with the puck right in front of UNH goalie Casey DeSmith, but the UNH goalie got low enough to block the shots with his right pad.

"That was one of the best games we've played defensively in a really long time," said DeSmith, who made 27 saves for his third shutout of the season, his second against Northeastern. "We picked the right time to do it, I guess."

The Huskies pulled goalie Clay Witt (34 saves) for an extra skater with 1:30 to play, but were still unable to generate a solid scoring opportunity.

"A one-goal lead at home (is) always going to be nerve-racking," DeSmith said. "But I thought the defense and the guys on the ice were phenomenal. (At) the end there, they were just trying to throw anything on net, and they couldn't even get that through. I just have to thank the guys in front of me."

UNH outshot the Huskies 14-8 in the first period and 13-11 in the second, but neither team was able to put one through. Speelman hit the crossbar on a shot early in the second period, and Colin Bourque's shot from point-blank range later in the frame was stopped by Witt.

"I don't look at shots, (I) look at quality opportunities," Northeastern coach Jim Madigan said. "We had some good looks and their goalie made some good saves. We didn't score."

The Wildcats had trouble staying out of the box. UNH was slapped with 20 minutes worth of penalties that resulted in six power plays for the Huskies.

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